for the first time we're learning why she says she felt the need to approach the fbi and ask them to investigate the communications she was receiving. jill kelley of tampa, florida, is now a big part of the story involving several big names. tonight, she is clearly attempting to clear her own. we begin here tonight in the studio with nbc's andrea mitchell, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, brian, tonight, new details emerged on how the anonymous e-mails that paula broadwell sent to a tampa woman, who knew two four-star generals, david petraeus, and john allen, set off a chain of events, even as the president spoke for the first time about the scandal at his news conference, the president went out of his way to praise petraeus. >> he has provided this country an extraordinary service. we are safer because of the work that david petraeus has done. >> reporter: as paula broadwell remained in washington and staying with her brother and still not talking, officials say the investigation was triggered in may, when general john allen received an e-mail called "kelley patrol." sources